


Burning a torch

by ActOfCynic



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Drabble, Drugs, Friendship, M/M, Male Friendship, Pre-Slash, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 16:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6914644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActOfCynic/pseuds/ActOfCynic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James T. Kirk arrives back to his home planet, and realizes just how much he misses the good old days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burning a torch

**Author's Note:**

> So, @Baxssy and me did this challenge where we both wrote a Star Trek drabble and the topic we chose was "weed", that's pretty much it.
> 
> Baxssy's drabble - http://archiveofourown.org/works/6914599

Finally on Earth again. Most of the time space is the escape for me, but at times like these I’m glad to be back here. To feel the fresh air, to feel the sun setting and the night coming upon us. There’s a moment right after the sun sets before it’s really dark. This haze of dark grey that covers the earth and you can’t yet see the stars; you can only see the horizon and your fingers disappearing in front of your eyes. It’s a beauty.

At times like these I breathe in deeply, walk down the steps and away from the concrete paths. From the center and building and people; but where you can still see the rooftops and hear soft laughter of college girls. That gives me the chills. It’s humanity. And even though I meet all sorts of beings from all sorts of worlds all the time, there’s nothing like the evening chill and college girl laughter in any of them.

Couple of years ago I walked here with McCoy, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, and having our moment of salvation once we figured out a way how to stabilize our minds. Simply said, we got our hands on some cannabis to keep busy. Sitting behind the recycling bins, between the exobiology lab and the mail service room.

The whole academy ground is flat, that’s what I used to mind. It’s so flat; if it wasn’t for the trees you could see the Golden Gate Bridge.

I’m sitting on that one rock that has been stuck in the soil for centuries, facing the trees, and play with some matches for a while. I strike one match after another, let them burn halfway and then let them fall on the ground. Finally I take the grass out of my pocket. The joint is perfectly rolled, without a single crease. I wish my fist year academic self could see me now and learn how to do it. With another strike of a match I light it and suck in the smoke. When I exhale a shadow falls on me from my right side. It’s Bones with that manufactured pissed off face of his. He looks around and casually inhales from his own joint like the world wasn’t ending.

“Old habits-“ I start with a reconciled expression.

“die hard?” He finishes with that hint of sarcasm as he leans on the side of the blue bin.

I inhale some more and hit the back of my head against the steel. “Is this-“

“Captain?” I suddenly hear from my left side and we both turn that way. Spock is still wearing his uniform when both Bones and I are left some black shirts. He has his arms crossed behind his back like he’s here to nag me. I don’t answer him; it’s too late and would be too stupid to try to hide the pot.

Bones surprises me when he takes a deep breath, clears his throat and crosses to Spock’s side. He hands him his joint and Spock carefully takes it between his thumb and index finger, his face confused. “See you, Jim.” He nods and pats Spock on back before leaving.

After a while of silence Spock is still standing there with the grass in his hand like it was contagious. I don’t look at him but I know he’s watching me with every inhale and exhale, trying to figure out something only he can understand. He can’t switch off. “You’re going to tell, aren’t you?” I ask him but don’t really expect anything else. To my awe he sits down next to me, still watching me. Those eyebrows of his. He doesn’t answer.

After a while I can feel myself think more but slower, and that’s a good sign. I turn back to him; he looks at his cannabis and for a while stares at it. I slowly take out the matches and while watching his reaction, I light it up for him again. Then take an inhale of my own and lean back again. Shockingly he does the same and I’m left with my mouth slightly open. But he gives me this stare so I’m forced to look ahead and mind my own business again. He’s like an animal sometimes. One needs him to leave him alone with the new toy so he can really make sure if he can trust it and trust you. He does trust me, I know that. But he disagrees with most of what I do. That’s why he doesn’t trust my toys.

With the corner of my eye I look at his straightly cut fringe, his Vulcan ears, and his mellow but earnest skin. And his eyes are staring ahead like he was finding redemption there. I think about all those exam nights we used to sit here with McCoy and talk. And now I’m here with Spock and we do nothing but sit in silence. And somehow it feels the same nostalgic. I suddenly turn the way Bones left and think if the lighted joint he handed to Spock was some kind of burning torch. A relay.

Spock is now looking at me again, with his eyebrows raised. He’s asking a question, but I just lean back and take another hit. I smile a bit and say. “Nothing.”


End file.
